1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to display devices for cards, photographs, and the like, and, more particularly, to display devices that employ magnetic elements for attaching a displayed article to the display device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices that are used to display cards, photographs, and the like are well known in the art. In this respect, throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to such display devices, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,979,901, 5,303,489, 5,377,820, and 5,994,990.
More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,901 discloses a device for planning and controlling a diet and displaying items related thereto. With this device, individual cards are retained on the device in pockets. Also, the device itself is supported on a vertical surface by hooks and eyes. Alternatively, magnets can be used for supporting the whole device on a metal surface, such as a refrigerator. Rather than having cards retained on a vertically oriented device with pockets, it would be desirable if a card holding device were provided that retained the cards on the device with magnets.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,489 discloses a combined magnetic picture frame and gift/display card. The gift card or photograph is framed by a frame member which magnetically attached to a supporting surface. With this device, the frame and the card or photograph must be congruent with each other for the frame to fit properly around the card or photograph. Rather than being constrained by a congruency between a frame and a card or photograph, it would be desirable if a card or photograph holding device were provided that does not require a magnetic frame to fit properly around a card or photograph. More specifically, it would be desirable if a magnetic device were provided to attach a card or photograph to a complementary magnetic support that does not require a magnetic frame to be employed at all.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,820 discloses a magnetic display assembly for displaying and carrying articles, such as earrings, on a bracket which is held by magnetic force to a magnetic support structure. The portion of the earring-holding bracket which directly carries and supports the earrings is spaced apart from another portion of the bracket which includes a magnetic strip which attaches to the magnetic support surface. More specifically, each bracket has three right-angled bends to provide the spacing away from the magnetic support surface. However, in many instances, there is no need for a magnetic bracket to be provided for holding three-dimensional articles, such as earrings, in a spaced relation away from the support surface. In this respect, there is no need for an article-holding portion to require three right-angled bends to space the portion away from the magnetic support surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,994,990 discloses a magnet sheet for display of printed sheets that are bonded to the top surface of the magnet sheet. In this respect, the printed sheets that are displayed are permanently bonded to the underlying magnet sheet. With this permanent bonding of the printed sheet to the magnet sheet, the use of cards or photographs that can be interchanged with other cards or photographs on a magnet support is not possible. In this respect, it would be desirable if a magnetic card display device were provided that easily permits interchange or substitution of cards or photographs that are displayed on a magnetic support with other cards or photographs to be displayed on the magnetic support.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,326 is of interest for its disclosure of a chess set which includes magnetic chess pieces for attaching to a chess board. The magnetic chess pieces are attached to the chess board, but those chess pieces do not attach anything other than themselves to the chess board. In essence, the magnetic chess pieces have a non-magnetic handle portion and a magnetic base. Because of their simplicity and effectiveness, it would be desirable if chess-like pieces, having a non-magnetic handle portion and magnetic base portion, were provided for attaching non-magnetic articles, such as cards and photographs, to a magnetic support.
Still other features would be desirable in a magnetic card display apparatus. For example, often a plurality of cards are displayed, and the cards have a common theme, such as birthday, anniversary, a specific holiday, etc. In this respect, it would be desirable if a magnetic card display apparatus itself could exhibit a decorative theme relating to the common theme of the cards displayed thereon.
Moreover, as indicated above, themes for cards can vary from occasion to occasion. In this respect, it would be desirable in the decorative theme of a magnetic card display apparatus could be easily varied to accommodate varied changes in the themes of the cards displayed thereon.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use magnetic display devices, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a magnetic card display apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) provides a card holding device that retains the cards on the device with magnets; (2) does not require a magnetic frame to fit properly around a card or photograph that is displayed; (3) does not require a magnetic frame at all to attach a card or photograph to a complementary magnetic support; (4) has no need for a magnetic bracket to be provided for holding three-dimensional articles, such as earrings, in a spaced relation away from a magnetic support surface; (5) has no need for an article-holding portion to require three right-angled bends to space the portion away from the magnetic support surface; (6) easily permits interchange or substitution of cards or photographs that are displayed on a magnetic support with other cards or photographs to be displayed on the magnetic support; (7) permits a magnetic card display apparatus itself to exhibit a decorative theme relating to a common theme of the cards displayed thereon; and (8) permits a decorative theme of a magnetic card display apparatus to be easily varied to accommodate varied changes in the themes of the cards displayed thereon. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique magnetic card display apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.